You are here

Legal Proceedings

Search form

Search

As a global company with a diverse business portfolio, CNH Industrial is exposed to numerous legal risks, particularly in the areas of product liability (including asbestos-related liability), product performance, retail and wholesale credit, competition and antitrust law, intellectual property matters (including patent infringement), disputes with dealers and suppliers and service providers, environmental risks, and tax and employment matters.

The most significant of these matters are described in Note 30 “Guarantees granted, commitments and other contingent liabilities” to the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2014.

The outcome of any current or future proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty. It is therefore possible that legal judgments could give rise to expenses that are not covered, or not fully covered, by insurers’ compensation payments and could affect the Group’s financial position and results. Although the ultimate outcome of legal matters pending against CNH Industrial and its subsidiaries cannot be predicted, the CNH Industrial believes the reasonable possible range of losses for these unresolved legal actions in addition to the amounts accrued would not have a material effect on its financial statements.

As of December 31, 2014, contingent liabilities estimated by the Group amounted to approximately $41 million (compared to approximately $48 million as of December 31, 2013), for which no provisions have been recognised since an outflow of resources is not considered probable as of that date. When it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required to resolve obligations and this amount can be reliably estimated, the Group designates specific provisions for this purpose.

Starting January 2011, Iveco and certain of its competitors have been subject to an investigation being conducted by the European Commission into certain business practices of the leading manufacturers of trucks and commercial vehicles in the European Union in relation to possible anti-competitive behavior.

On November 20, 2014, Iveco received a Statement of Objections from the European Commission alleging that Iveco and other companies in the heavy and medium truck industry had breached EU antitrust rules. The Commission indicated that it would seek to impose significant fines on the manufacturers. The Statement of Objections is a formal step in the Commission’s investigative process and details the Commission’s preliminary view of the conduct of the companies involved.

The Statement of Objections is not a final decision and, as such, it does not prejudice the final outcome of the proceedings. Under the applicable procedural rules, the Commission will review the manufacturers’ responses before issuing a decision and any decision would be subject to further appeals.

Iveco is evaluating the Statement of Objections and the documents on the Commission’s case file, and intends to issue its response to the Commission in due course and to avail itself of any opportunity allowed by the procedure to clarify its position in this matter. Given the numerous uncertainties in the next stages of the investigation, CNH Industrial is unable to predict the outcome or to estimate the potential fine at this time.